She eviscerates every single one of them.
She saunters toward me, her stroll lazy and relaxed, and stop pacing and meet her halfway. Our eyes lock, and I’m pretty sure letting her go at the end of the night is going to wreck me.
“Where can we go?” My voice is low, sounding like I just swallowed a handful of gravel.
Her lips roll between her teeth as she scans me from head to toe. There’s hunger in her gaze. Like maybe she’s been thinking about me the same way I’ve been thinking about her.
What am I doing?
“Park.” She finally says. “Down the street.”
Nodding, I grab her hand. Her warm fingers curl around mine, and I’m struck by the fact that the last time I held her hand was the only time I’ve ever held a girl’s hand.
We pass my Harley as we walk to the park, Naima giving it a wistful glance as we stride by.
“I miss him.” She runs her fingers across the leather seat, her voice full of longing.
I squeeze her hand. “Pretty sure he’d be happy to take you for a ride.”
She glances at me, heat uncurling in her dark, dark gaze. My body warms, my dick going hard and stiff in my jeans, just staring into her eyes.
Her tongue darts out, flicking across her top lip. “Pretty sure he’s not the only one.”
Damn.
When we reach the park, she sits on a swing. I make a slow circle, turning and checking out every inch of our surroundings before I sit down on the swing beside her. Our backs are to the scenic street behind us, and I don’t like it. I turn and face the opposite way on my swing.
Naima watches me with quiet curiosity. “So you’re still in trouble?”
Her shrewd intelligence shouldn’t surprise me, but it does. She’s observant. She sees things. It’s something I noticed about her from the jump, and it’s a serious turn-on because it’s another reminder of how different she is from other women I’ve encountered. Different from anyone I’ve ever met.
I try for casual. “I’m all right. Just keeping my eyes open.”
Because I don’t want to bring my shit storm into your territory.
I glance around once more, and she doesn’t miss it. Does she miss anything?
Her thick black hair whips around her face as she absorbs our surroundings, too. It’s wavy tonight, spiraling in gentle ripples down toward the middle of her back. Th style fits her so well that I smile as soon as the light catches it. I reach over and grab a few strands, letting the silky softness fall between my fingers.
She freezes, staring at me.
“I like this.” Trying again for casual. Failing...again.
“Thanks.” Her voice is slow and unsure, like she doesn’t know what to do with my compliment.
“Naima…guys tell you all the time that you’re beautiful, right?” There’s a note of curiosity in my voice, threading with the admiration.
She glances down, a faint blush staining her cheeks and neck.
“Um…the guys I’m usually around? They’re fraternity guys that mix with my sorority. They don’t need to give compliments. They always get what they want, and they know it.”
My voice is firm, almost rough. “You’ve been spending time around the wrong guys. They’re all assholes.”
Her laughter is full and distinct as it rolls from her. Another piece of her that’s just so totally her. It echoes inside of me, rearranging things. Changing me.
“Ace.” Her voice flutters around me, soft and low. “Are you okay?” She leans her head against the swing’s chain, her eyes peeking over at me as she evaluates my expression.
Sighing, I search for the truth. “I’m okay. I was…worried about you. Needed to check on you. You haven’t been approached by anyone, right? Haven’t noticed anyone strange hanging around?”
Her deep eyes study me as she shakes her head. Confusion mars her beauty. “I thought you said they wouldn’t know about me?”
My words tumble over each other in their rush to escape. “They won’t. I mean…they shouldn’t. I just…shit.” I scratch my head, searching for the right words. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
A slow smile crosses her face. “Well, that’s good to hear. Because you’ve been on my mind, too.”
Grabbing her hand, I tug her off her swing and onto my lap. She straddles me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Her hair hangs down in a curtain of black around us, and her cherry-vanilla scent coats me like a second skin. Inhaling, I just let her presence wash over me.
She leans in, her forehead resting against mine. “You’re carrying too much weight on your shoulders, Ace. I can feel it.”
Her warm sweet breath whispers against my face, and my body reacts to her.
“Yeah. Kinda. It’ll get better, though.”
Pulling back, her brows knit together. “I want to help. What can I do?”
I glance around us. Being out in the open is making it hard to concentrate on her, giving me a bad feeling.
My eyes sink closed as I shake my head. “Not dragging you into this, Naima. I just wanted to see you.”
“Why, Ace?”
Her voice has the power to drive me crazy. Breathy, sweet gravel, a break every few words. It’s seriously the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard, and just adds to the list of things I can’t get enough of when it comes to this woman.
Sighing, I tilt my head back so I can meet her steady gaze. “I don’t know.”
Honesty’s the best policy.
I really don’t know why I’m here. It doesn’t make sense. I met Naima three nights ago. We spent a few hours together. And yeah, we shared a really traumatic experience, so maybe that has something to do with it. But I swear I felt this pull toward her before any of it went down with the Suit. And now it’s too strong to ignore.
Maybe it was from the beginning.
Pushing against my chest, she stands, wedging into the space between my knees. She brushes some of
